


Wherever You Are

by darlingstardust



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, Friends to Lovers, Genetic Diseases, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Misgendering, Slow Build, Trans Akaashi Keiji, Trans Male Character, Vaginal Sex, Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), Young Love, royal au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-10
Updated: 2016-09-10
Packaged: 2018-08-08 05:57:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7745821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darlingstardust/pseuds/darlingstardust
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wherever You Are

**Author's Note:**

> Prince_Zale is a scoundrel and should be dealt with because he made me CRY when we first RPed this and it hurts to even think about. Just blame him when your heart breaks bc honestly I can't help you at this point.
> 
> Lol I could go into all the dramatics of what made me originally think of this AU but I thought...Bokuto should fall in love for the boy that dances in the moonlight.
> 
> And if that already doesn't break your heart, I don't know what will.
> 
> Thank you to the friends that helped me BETA this, thank you to Zale for putting up with my lazy ass in actually going back and re-writing this whole thing so I can break his heart again. Here's hoping this will be a fun journey for you, my friends!

Bokuto Koutarou wasn't very knowledgeable on most things – not to say he wasn't bright or analytical in his own way, or to say that he never got out and he lived as a hermit on his father's farm. No, Bokuto was a very well rounded young man who did his job and helped his father with the cows and sheep, tending to the crops with the workers he had hired by day, lounging around as he practiced playing his flute, running around town with the girls and drinking beer with his friends come a little past dinner. He was always home before the sun went down and always got up an hour before sunrise to do his chores and complete his work. He often helped sell the crops and butchered meat they had packaged and carted to town to be sold at market and he took notes for his father, the man sometimes too drunk to even add correctly for the books to be balanced. He went to different villages and bought seed, grain, hay, tools, clothing, and often times grabbed some food items they needed to stock up on for dinner. Bokuto was a smart fellow who knew what needed to be done and did it, knowing he would eventually be head of the family farm, but he didn't stray past the well beaten path when it came to gossip, or in this case, urban legends. 

Ever since he was younger, Bokuto had a best friend named Kuroo Tetsurou, and together they would play in the fields at night, years before they had turned thirteen and were both forced into manhood, eventually following the paths of their fathers (Bokuto with farming, Kuroo with becoming a royal guard). In that field they would go star gazing and map out constellations with books Kuroo's mother had given to him, they would play in the woods, swim in the creek when it was warm enough outside, and cause distress to the cows in the neighboring farms miles away; they sometimes even watched the palace from where they sat, far from Bokuto's family house, able to see everything on a clear night. When they had calmer nights where they would just sit and talk, Kuroo would comment about stories he had heard from the town. Since Kuroo was going to become a palace guard on good behaviour (and with recommendation by proxy of his father) he had to know people and needed to help protect the name of the royal family. 

Sometimes, Kuroo's excitement for rumors got the better of him. 

"Bo, did you know, the princess is a vampire and that she only comes out at night?" Kuroo asked, sneaking up on Bokuto and wrapping his little arms around his neck. "She sucks the blood out of anyone that finds out about her identity!" They had been walking for about a mile now when the sun had completely disappeared and they got closer to the woods. 

Bokuto pouted and pushed Kuroo off of him, being startled enough by the jump. He didn't want any ghost stories. "Knock it off. There is no princess, anyway. That's what dad says," He scoffed and laughed, albeit being a little wary of their surroundings. "You're making stuff up from what you hear from the other kids."   
   
"What do you mean, 'there's no princess'? There is, too! Papa told me, and I might get to be her guard! He says if I am good and can be respectful, that is." Kuroo grinned and walked, kicking a rock as they went along. "If you're nice to me I may get a picture for us so we can see her. I have to ask my papa but it should be okay."   
   
Bokuto grimaced. He wasn't very into girls at the moment. He didn't think he ever would be at that age. "No. I don't want to see some girl. Besides, isn't she supposed to remain unseen to the likes of us? Isn't it some sort of code?" 

"Bokuto," Kuroo laughed. "You read too many faerie tales." 

 

The summers passed them by, faster than their young minds could have imagined. On the year of their thirteenth birthday, Kuroo had been taken to the palace for training alongside his father for the protection of the royal family, and Bokuto had continued doing what he had always been doing. He spent his days gathering feed for the animals, grooming, milking, slaughtering, selling them. He tended to the crops when he was older and had soon taken over the farm that his father had worked so hard to keep up with. His father was getting too old to take care of it and Bokuto had told him not to worry the day he turned sixteen. He hired a couple of people to help with things he couldn't always get to and the arrangement worked out just fine for them. He worked hard to find a routine with the farm and his life and interests and by the time he was eighteen, he thought he had it all figured out. He probably would have been just fine, had it not been for Kuroo finally coming back every other weekend to visit. He had been doing it since he was fourteen after his basic training and though as of recently he had been able to frequent his trips back home, he always came with a story to tell from the palace. 

Kuroo was one of his instigators. Every time he came home, he plopped his bag down in the middle of Bokuto's entryway and searched for him, no matter where he was, just itching to drag him into town and get him drunker than a pig before he spent two full days working with Bokuto on the farm. It was no different the weekend before the summer solstice when he rode up, brought his horse to the stables and ran the rest of the way to the little wood cottage sitting at the base of the hill. He was lucky that it was the longest day of the year since he had gotten out of the royal yard late, sun still high in the sky upon his arrival. He had already been packed the night before and when he was ready to leave, he sped his way to the farm after giving brief and hurried duties to Tsukishima, one of the guards in his command who would be taking his place for the couple of days he would be on holiday. Kuroo gave a simple knock to the door and opened it after a moment, setting his bag down in his usual spot and changing into the work yukata that had been provided for him before going to the chicken coup. 

There Bokuto was found knelt before a couple of baskets, mindlessly wiping off eggs before slowly setting them inside, meticulous and careful so he wouldn't break any of them open. He had always been a bit of a control freak when it came to the product they sold at market and he wanted to make sure he was giving the most out of his product so he could bring in the honest money they needed for general repairs and feed for the animals. It was how he was taught and he was a man of his word. It made him feel that much better about taking over the farm, knowing that it was in good hands – his hands. Though he was used to the work and wouldn't trade what he was doing for the world, he was glad that Kuroo had decided to come home for it, since they had work to do before they headed out in the morning. He could see Kuroo coming up the hill and he gave himself a smile. He stood when his friend approached him, feet sinking into the grass that he needed to have cut, wiping his large hands on a clean, wet towel. "I thought I smelled something bad coming up wind." He laughed and Kuroo stopped in his tracks to give him a look before he continued walking. 

"Ha ha, very funny. Do you ever change your hair?" Kuroo laughed and opened out his arms for a hug. His sleeves had already been tied back with that tasuki and Bokuto wanted to comment about how Kuroo didn't need help this time but he ignored it for the comment. 

"Ha ha, asshole," Bokuto laughed and pulled the taller into a hug, squeezing around his middle and promptly lifting him up off the ground, Kuroo's geta almost falling off his feet. Kuroo wheezed at all of the air escaping his lungs and he smacked Bokuto's arm to let him down. 

"I think you're trying to kill me!" He coughed a moment but smiled as he clapped his friend on the back. "Look at you. I think it's impossible for you to get any stronger than you already are. Manual labor has been good to you." Kuroo grinned and stood up straight, hands on his hips.   
   
"It has, it has." Bokuto shrugged. "I just hope you’re ready to get your hands dirty, princess. I know you aren’t used to the dirt with your perfectly manicured nails." 

"Fuck off," Kuroo snorted and pushed him, Bokuto just laughed. 

They worked side by side until the sun started to go down over the hills, disappearing behind the trees. They retreated inside the house to finish packing up the food into baskets and crates and packaging what needed to be packaged; Kuroo had been glad that any butchering that needed to be done had been taken care of and he watched as Bokuto wrapped the slabs of meat according to cut and packed them away in different crates to sell at market the following morning. They had ate the dinner that Koutarou's father had made and promptly stayed up to count the inventory. Bokuto had made the calculations, and if they were to sell all the beef, chicken, rice, mushrooms, eggs, and the other vegetables and organ meat, they would make a hefty profit and be able to buy the feed and tools they needed to replace twice over, plus a little extra on the side to use for safe keeping. His father had taught him proper managing skills and Bokuto prided himself in what he knew. Kuroo was impressed with how much Bokuto was learning and how he was prospering. Bokuto babbled over dinner about how they had a good crop season the past spring and with the solstice coming up, festivals would be brought about and everyone will want to celebrate with big meals. "Thankfully, that's where this farm comes in," Koutarou commented. Kuroo was just happy to help and be home with his best friend. 

The following day was long. They had risen before the sun and had prepared the horses and tied everything down in the carts, Bokuto letting the two other men that he had hired for this purpose know what they needed to do to prepare for their absence. They were lucky that this time around they wouldn't need to bring a stand, since Koutarou's father had called in a favor from a friend in town to help with the stand they needed and the space and permissions to operate said stand. They would need to get to the town fast so they could be ready for the early risers who wanted to get the first picks of the day. By the time they arrived, other vendors were setting up and Kuroo yawned as he helped to unload the fresh eggs and meat for Bokuto to set up – he would much rather tend to setting up the bags of rice and vegetables, anyway, blood always having a way of making the guard squeamish. 

They made a great team. Kuroo smiled at all the young women who came with their fathers and children and he charmed all of the kids with special tricks. Bokuto was able to speak passionately to his customers about the compost he used to help grow his mushrooms and what he fed his cows to give them such a rich taste but little fat to the muscle. By noon, Kuroo came back with a lunch that Koutarou's father's friend had his wife make for them. They were sold clean by the time dinner had arrived and happily, they took their earnings and bought some sake and  a couple different ales to tide them over for the nights to come. It was what they allowed to spend on themselves and since Kuroo had been so kind to help, Bokuto gave him one of the larger bills as a token of his appreciation.  

The spent the rest of the evening was spent unpacking the carts and lazing about, sharing alcohol and stories until the sun went down. They had thrown a blanket down on the top of the hill and watched as all the stars came out, just drinking and shit talking. "You remember that girl you used to chase around?" Bokuto asked, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Oh, god...what was her name. She had long hair...?"   
   
"Kou, they _all_ had long hair," He snorted and shook his head, taking a swig. "They were all gorgeous, too." Kuroo grinned as he remembered. When the both of them were just figuring out what sex and love were, Kuroo was off frolicing with the girls in the town. He was bad a flirting and none of them really took him seriously until he had actually decided to  settle down with someone worthwhile. "Kenma is better than all of those girls, though. He is so soft and cute. He dyes his hair, you know. And he always smells like lavender," He sighed wistfully with a stupid smile on his face. Bokuto just snorted and waved him off. "What? Don't be jealous. You have to meet him." 

"I thought you said he would be afraid of me because I am loud and boisterous," Bokuto gave him a look and nudged him with his foot. 

"Yeah, probably," Kuroo shrugged. He looked at Bokuto after it fell silent for a moment. "...We have to find you someone cute, you know? Someone to make you stop working after a sixteen hour day and to actually pop out some kids with." 

"What makes you think I want that right now?" Bokuto laughed and shoved him a bit. "I'm young. I take care of what's mine and my dad's. I can't afford any kids or a girl or boyfriend right now. Not to mention, I've tried, you know? No one really gets me." 

"You're an open book, man, what's there not to get?" Kuroo asked. "I'm _telling_ you. You should come to the palace with me for work. They have a lot of cute help, and not to mention, the people in the Capitol are gorgeous. You could find someone easily who will love how sweet and honest and funny you are...and if not, you could easily get a good fuck because of those muscles you are packing." Kuroo gave a wink and frowned when Bokuto glared a bit at him. "It's _true_ , Bo. I'm telling you." 

"I don't want some fling, though, Tetsurou, that's just it. If I want to find someone, I want to hold on to them. I don't want to be someone's reason to leave in the morning, you know? A lot of people like others they have to get to know and chase. I'm the opposite." 

"In what way?" 

"Just..." Koutarou sighed and laid back on the blanket. They had changed into trousers so he wasn't shy spreading his legs a bit for comfort on the grass. "It's just the fact that my whole life story is put into simple terms. I'm the son of a farmer and there isn't much about me. I get emotional, I cling too hard...I'm not someone's ideal person, you know? Nobody wants a man who's clingy." 

"So don't be clingy," Kuroo offered, lamely. "Have you tried being some stoic man who looks down his nose at romance but deep down can be changed?" During this, Kuroo put his hands together, batting his eyelashes and pouting his lips out. He winced when Bokuto just shoved him a bit, laughing. 

"God, you've been reading too many romance novels. You're disgusting." 

"It's no different than you wanting to find some love overnight," Kuroo retorted. "I know it's hard. Don't feel like you have to change yourself for someone. The right person will come along. Patience is a virtue." 

"So it chastity, but look where that got you," Bokuto laughed and Kuroo was on him in an instant, wrestling him down the hill. The moon was high in the sky when they were just drunk enough to stumble home with their blanket and bottles, laughing as they nearly tripped and fell on their faces on the way back to the house. 

The following day went as normal for them - Bokuto tended to his crops and Kuroo helped where help was needed, the farm hands going home after lunch with the food they had been given for helping out. Dinner was made and they were quick to eat and clean up, ready check the animals and get to bed as the sun slowly faded into the darkening sky. They checked the shed and the barn, making sure the doors were locked for the night and that the chicken coup was well guarded to keep foxes out of the area. They went back to the stable where the horses were being kept and Kuroo had groaned when he saw that his horse had gone missing. "I thought I tied him up!" He groaned as they searched the grounds and finding nothing. They quickly went back to the house and changed into their trousers and tossing on some tunics, grabbing lanterns and matches so they could scan the perimeter of the land for Kuroo's horse. 

After what seemed like hours, the both of them stopped. They had at least travelled a couple miles at this point and they sat in the familiar spot they would sit when they were boys, looking at the moon and the stars and mapping out constellations. The moon was being hidden by a couple small clouds and at this point, they sat to take a breather. "Where the fuck did your horse run off to?" Bokuto groaned and closed his eyes. It had to be almost midnight at that point and they had to be up early to work.  

"You're asking me? That horse is dumber than a bag of sand," Kuroo answered and put his hands on his hips, looking around. "I barely ever take him out anymore. He's getting old, stupid thing. Tsukki just wanted my good horse since I was going out of town." 

"One of the guards in your command?" 

"Yeah. The kid's a prick." He ran fingers through his hair and sat beside his friend, looking up at the sky. "...I don't want to have to leave when the festival is over. I miss you so damn much, Bo," Kuroo spoke through the silence and leaned on him a bit.  

"That came out of nowhere," Bokuto snorted and slapped his knee. "But I miss you too...Remember how you could see the palace on nights like tonight? It's too bad the trees grew too tall for us to." 

"No, there are places on your grounds where you can see the palace still. I travel those hills when I come home," Kuroo told him, sitting up straight again as he pointed. 

"Wow. I never would have guessed." Bokuto stood and stretched. "...I hate to say it, but we should head back. I'm sure your horse is okay, and even if not, I can always give you a ride back to the palace when you have to go." 

"Thanks, but I would rather know my horse is safe," Kuroo huffed and waved him off. "You go home. Get some sleep. I'll be back if I can't find him in another hour." 

"I'm not leaving you out here, there are wolves." Bokuto crossed his arms, pouting a bit. Kuroo just snorted and Bokuto tilted his head. "What?" 

"You're still afraid of the dark?" Kuroo laughed and Bokuto glared. "What? I know you. Come on, dude. You've been practically clinging to me all week when we've been out past dinner. Unless you want to confess your big secret feelings for me, big guy." He teased. Bokuto was going to swing at him but they both stopped dead in their tracks when they heard two distant, echoing voices. Bokuto was quick to grab onto Kuroo's sleeve and stare in the direction they heard the voices. 

"Fuck off, Kuroo, I swear to God." Bokuto murmured when Kuroo grinned at him.  

"Dude, relax. It's just fine. They're probably a good half mile from us. There is no reason to be a scared little shit." Kuroo gently scolded him but the taller visibly froze when they heard a scream come from the voices, his hands now gripping onto Bokuto's arms. "...What the fuck-" 

"That's what I am saying! We are going to be fucking killed-" Bokuto tried and they stopped when they could see two figures headed their way from the clearing below. They were set to run when Kuroo noticed that one of the figures was twirling in the long grass. Bokuto was trying to pull him but Kuroo just slapped his hand and went forward a couple of steps to look at them. "Kuroo, come on-!" 

"Bokuto, stop." He whispered in a hiss. "Isn't it weird that there are two people down there?" He asked and got low on the ground so he couldn't be spotted. He urged Bokuto to do the same. 

He didn't budge, however. "Yes, I do, that's why I want to _leave_!" 

"No, listen, Bo. It's weird because you and your dad are the only ones with land this far out. No one lives this way except for more west," Kuroo commented. "I think they're from the Capitol." 

"That, or their fucking ghosts or spirits and we are going to be found gutted by this rock," Bokuto murmured and hissed as Kuroo got up and blew out the torch, walking down the hill. "Where are you going?!" He almost yelled but he whispered it, feeling his heart race. He hated the dark, he hated spirits, and he didn't want Kuroo leaving him there. 

"I'm going to see who they are," Tetsuro shushed him and waved his arm. Bokuto could be so loud sometimes. "Stay here if you want, but this is still your land and they _are_ technically trespassing? Man up, dude." 

"I don't want to cause any trouble," Bokuto huffed but followed Kuroo down, now that their light source was gone. He didn't want to be alone on that hill so he clung onto his friend's sleeve as they approached the two figures, laughing and shushing each other as they ran through the grass. Despite the fact that they didn't know who they were, they looked so free and it helped  Bokuto calm down a little as he watched one with blond hair and a long cloak flowing behind them; the other with short black hair and translucent white robes trailing behind them nearly made his heart stop as he watched them run together and spin around, with no care in the world, unaware that they were moving closer from the hill. Bokuto couldn't take his eyes off the one in white, their skin so pale and delicate like porcelain shining in the soft and loving light of the moon. This person looked like an angel, so breakable that he feared one harsh look would make them crumble. Bokuto felt protective of them in that instant and though he had no idea who this person was, he'd kick the ass of any monster who took away their laugh. And oh, their laugh was so melodic and it was like a song, one that Bokuto had never heard before but it made him so nostalgic for something he didn't know he had wanted all of his life. It made him want to compose a song for them based on the purest form of their being, and he wanted the world to hear it to know how special this person, this God among men, sounded and how sweet and soft they appeared to be; but at the same time, Koutarou felt selfish. He wanted them for himself and he wanted to whisk them away and keep them for himself so only he knew their song. He ached to touch that soft jet black hair that curled ever so slightly at the ends and framed their face, gently moving as they moved. Their footfalls were light, as if they were floating, and Bokuto swore he could smell lilac oil coming from where they stood.  His heart pounded in his chest and he felt his hands go clammy and his throat dry up at the prospect of getting closer, their features becoming clearer. Their eyes were soft jewels, gorgeous in the way they shown in the moonlight, eyelashes thick and curled so delicately. He could see no blemishes on the little amount of skin they showed and he had started wondering if they really were a spirit – they were too good to be true, there was no way that this beauty was possibly anything less than celestial. He couldn't believe how his body was reacting toward this mysterious person and he had only felt that it was proper that he was falling in love with something so pure in spirit to make him feel like a proper man. He was transfixed as the two figures were lost in their own world and he barely realized they were so close to them when Kuroo spoke up and brought him out of his reverie. 

"Hey! You two!" He called out and the two froze as Kuroo continued on with Bokuto in tow. From thirty feet away, they looked startled. At twenty feet, they looked like they were ready to run. At ten feet, Kuroo stopped in his tracks before them. Bokuto looked up at his friend after glancing back at the two and gave him a bit of a look but he saw that Kuroo looked more surprised than bold, much unlike how he was just moments ago. "Oh, my- are you two serious?" 

Now Bokuto was really confused. What was he doing addressing these two in such a manner? It wasn't possible that Tetsurou knew them, was it? "...Um..." He tried but one of the two strangers spoke up - it was the blond and he could see that this person wasn't completely blond. Black roots were slowly seeping out of their scalp and they were shorter than the other by a head. Bokuto almost felt bad as the blond stood in front of the angel before them as if to protect them from harm, cat like eyes gleaming in the moonlight detecting a hint of hostility for a split second until they moved closer. _Did_ Kuroo know them? 

"Kuroo?" The blond's words fell from his mouth, hands falling from behind him and the raven standing in the back perked up a bit but looked a little embarrassed. Bokuto thought the act was awfully cute, much like everything else about them. "What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?" 

"I should ask the same of you! What's the meaning of this, don't you know it's fucking dangerous out here?" Kuroo inquired. He was pissed, Bokuto could feel it coming off in waves and it was so odd to feel coming from his normally level-headed friend. He tried to speak again but the blond scoffed, interrupting him. 

"I know that! I just wanted to be sure Keiji got some fresh air," The blond defended, crossing his arms. 

"More like Keiji put you up to it," Kuroo corrected and looked at the taller behind the blond. The angel, now known as Keiji, gave Kuroo a bit of a pout and crossed their own arms. "What? Don't act so innocent. Your father has good reason why he doesn't want you out here! Not to mention, Kenma and I could get into big trouble...!" 

Wait...Kenma?  

"Kenma?" Bokuto spoke as if trying to test the name and how it felt on his tongue. The three of them turned to him and Bokuto blushed. "U-Um, sorry... I'm really lost." He rubbed the back of his head. When did his hair become so damp with sweat? It was probably from the fact that he was scared enough to piss his pants minutes ago...or the fact that he was reacting to Keiji staring at him with doe-eyes. Holy hell they were pretty, it should have been a crime. 

Kuroo took a moment before sighing and putting his hands on his hips. "Bo, this is Kozume Kenma. He is my lover," He commented and extended a hand to gesture to him. Kenma just slapped it away and crossed his arms again.  

Bokuto just gave a nod, trying to process all of what was going on. "...N-Nice to finally meet you," He spoke as he bowed low, though his statement sounded more like a question. He felt like all of this was very improper for introductions but he let it slide since the three of them seemed to have no time for anything too polite. Kenma just gave him a nod and a bit of a bow. He noticed that Kenma didn't bow as low as he did and it was probably because he worked at the palace. Kuroo didn't tell him what Kenma did but he knew it must have been important. 

"Nice to meet you." Kenma's greeting was short and sweet before he turned his attention back to Kuroo, who looked like he knew he had made a mistake in his wording and would get shit for it later, in a more private setting. "That's how you choose to introduce me? I'm more than just some doll, you know." He hummed softly, a hint of irritation in his voice but he wasn't impolite. At least, Bokuto didn't think so. It was rather funny. Finally, someone could put Kuroo in his place. "How will you introduce Keiji?" 

"Really, there is no need to introduce me if you think my being here is causing me harm." The raven commented before Kuroo could even open his mouth, blinking and giving a bit of a smile at the guard, waiting for Kuroo as he threw his words back at him. Bokuto was actually glad he surrounded by darkness so no one could see the blush forming on his cheeks. Their voice was gorgeous. Bokuto was in love, no doubt about it. Kuroo just gave Keiji a look before turning to Bokuto with a sigh. It was silent when Kuroo spoke again, the only sound was an owl hooting off in some tree and the cicadas humming with the crickets and frogs in some creek not too far from where they congregated. 

"...Bokuto, this is Princess Akaashi Keiko. But you are advised to call _him_ Akaashi Keiji."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> My biggest worry is that I don't convey enough feeling. I'm sorry if it is rambly at some points but please bear with me~
> 
> I will be using a ton of terminology for traditional Japanese clothing. If you guys want me to keep a key for you, I will be very happy to do so~ Leave a comment and tell me what you thought! I hope you guys like reading it as much as I love writing it!!


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